Forbidden Green and Scarlett
by Congedato
Summary: Vesper Malfoy has been expressly forbidden from seeing Sirius Black. And she has done a good job of following that rule for 3 and a half years, turning him into her enemy rather than friend. But some attractions are just too hard to fight...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: Welcome to Vesper and Sirius' story! This story takes place in the marauders' seventh year. It has been in my head for quite some time, I'm hoping that you will all encourage me and help me finally finish this! The first few chapters are done so hopefully those will get up pretty quick, but after that I'm not making any guarantees! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 1<p>

The blonde seventh-year sat on the Hogwarts Express with her fellow Slytherins, bored of their conversation already. The boys were talking about Lord Voldemort, of whom she was tired of hearing, and the girls were hanging on their every word, for the most part.

"What do you think about it, Vesper?" Lorin Travers asked, giving her a grin she didn't like.

"I think you all need to find something else to talk about," she said haughtily. "I'm bored of this."

The six boys gaped at her, and Rabastan Lestrange shook his head. "You shouldn't say such things, Vesper."

"Why not?" she asked, turning up her nose. "All my brother ever talks about is Lord Voldemort. Why can't we discuss something else?"

"Like what?" Kieran Montague sneered.

Vesper shrugged. "_Anything_ else."

"I agree with Vesper," Kyler Morton nodded. "Let's talk about something else."

The compartment fell silent and Vesper rolled her eyes. "_Honestly!_" she exclaimed, standing. "You lot are so _boring_! I'm going for a walk."

"I'll come," Kyler said quickly, standing and joining her friend.

The two girls left the compartment quickly, and hurried down the corridor to find the room they were looking for.

"Well, _that_ didn't take long at all!"

Vesper rolled her eyes at the girl already in the compartment. "They are so boring," she said quietly, her voice and demeanour losing all the haughtiness she had shown her other housemates.

Kyler laughed. "Vesper Malfoy, you should go into acting. Your performance back there was amazing!"

Vesper shrugged. "I have to pretend to be like the rest of my family, or people start to get suspicious. And if I'm seen with _you_, Sara Wilkes, I will be disowned."

The other girl grinned. "A little rebellion is good for the spirit, Vesper," she teased.

"Speaking of rebellion," Kyler said, giving Vesper a teasing grin, "How's Sirius?"

Vesper glared at her, then shrugged. "I wouldn't know. We don't speak."

"Have you been giving him the same crap you've been giving the rest of our lovely housemates?" Sara asked snobbishly.

Vesper shrugged again. "Sirius and I are _no longer together_!" Vesper snarled. "Drop it! If I give him the cold shoulder it's because we are not friends and he's a Gryffindor. Any friendliness between us ended years ago."

Kyler and Sara exchanged a look. "Vesper..."

"Drop it or I'm going back to the Slytherin compartment," Vesper snapped. "I mean it. I don't want to discuss Sirius any more."

* * *

><p>Back with the other Slytherin seventh-years it was easier to be quiet and think than with Sara breathing down her neck, and Vesper took complete advantage of this. She spent the rest of the train ride thinking about what her friends had said and desperately hoping she could avoid Sirius Black this year more than she had in previous years. He had a knack of sneaking up on her and showing up where she expressly did not want him to be. Like in her head…<p>

Lorin and Rabastan fought for her attention for the rest of the train ride and she gave them curt, one-word answers, hoping they would get the hint and leave her alone. They didn't, and the other girls shot her venomous looks for the entirety of the ride.

"You better watch yourself, Malfoy," Kyler's twin sister Taylyn hissed as they left the train.

Vesper rolled her eyes. "I'm not doing anything, Morton," she replied in a bored tone.

"Just stay away from Lorin," she snarled, and stalked off.

Vesper rolled her eyes at Kyler, who shrugged, smirking.

Vesper and Kyler found themselves in a carriage with two of their roommates, Alexandra Yaxley and Vesper's cousin Colby Rosier. Vesper had feigned deafness when Lorin and Rabastan called to her to join them in their carriage and hurried toward Alex and Colby's. Both girls looked surprised, but neither said anything.

* * *

><p>Sirius sat at the Gryffindor table with his friends, not really paying attention to the Sorting Ceremony. James was on his left hissing about Lily Evans, and Peter was across the table trying to talk Remus into helping him with the homework he hadn't done over the summer. Remus was refusing outright, and Sirius was bored. He could feel his cousin Narcissa's glares on his back, but he didn't care. Let her glare. He'd always been able to take her. It was the looks he <em>wasn't<em> getting that worried him most. His brother Regulus had looked right past him as if he didn't exist when they'd passed each other on the train, and as much as Sirius didn't want to admit it, his brother's actions hurt. He forced himself to stop thinking about Regulus and focus on the ceremony.

He quickly realized that the Sorting was finished, and there was food on the table.

"Earth to Sirius."

He turned and smiled at Chloe Forten, a pretty, blonde seventh-year girl with whom he was pretty friendly. James always said Chloe had a crush on Sirius, but Sirius preferred not to think about it. He liked being friends with her too much to ever snog her.

"Yeah, I'm here," he said finally, helping himself to steak-and-kidney pie before passing the platter to James.

"Good to know," James muttered. "I thought you were looking a little glazed-over. McGonagall noticed, you know."

"Damn."

James chuckled. "It's a joke, Padfoot."

Sirius whacked him with the empty platter Chloe had just placed in front of him.

* * *

><p>Vesper sat between Kyler and Neil Hayden at the feast, with Severus Snape and Rabastan Lestrange across from her. Taylyn was fighting for Lorin's attention on Severus' other side, but Lorin was too interested in what Rabastan and Vesper were talking about.<p>

"All I'm saying is, you need to be careful what you say," Rabastan snapped.

Vesper rolled her eyes and turned up her nose. "If this Riddle is all he's cracked up to be, _then_ maybe I'll start paying attention. As it is, you boys are boring me to tears with all your talk of war. Even Bella is talking about it, it's all I could get out of her all summer."

"Your brother says-"

"I know quite well what my brother says, Cissy," Vesper snapped, causing the younger girl to close her mouth and glare at her. "You may be his fiancée, but _I'm_ his sister."

"You just need to watch your mouth, Vesper, that's all I'm saying," Rabastan repeated.

Vesper opened her mouth to retort but Severus stopped her.

"Stop it, Vesper Cadence," he said quietly. "You're not going to convince him to see your way, and you're not going to convince her, Rabastan, so how bout you both just stop talking."

Rabastan glared at him and turned to talk to Paul Nott on his other side. Lorin turned to give Taylyn his attention finally, and Vesper mouthed "thank you" to Sev, who gave her a curt nod and returned to his food.

* * *

><p>The first morning of classes was always a hassle, so Vesper and Kyler escaped as soon as Professor Slughorn had given them their schedules.<p>

"Potions first thing," Kyler commented, as if she were commenting on the weather. "Good thing Snape's in that class."

Vesper laughed. "Right. Like Sev ever helped anyone at potions."

"Anyone but you," Kyler retorted, eyes twinkling.

Vesper rolled her eyes. "Trust me, he's interested in someone else."

"Whatever you say, _Vesper Cadence_."

* * *

><p>"Potions first," James moaned. "Why? What did I do to deserve that?"<p>

"Maybe if you ask nicely one of the Slytherins will help you," Remus snapped, going over his own schedule. "They seem to be pretty good at potions."

"Only Snivellus," Sirius replied, sinking onto the bench beside James and taking the timetable Professor McGonagall handed him. "And Malfoy, when he helps her."

Remus rolled his eyes and Peter suddenly became very interested in his porridge.

"Morning, boys."

The four friends looked up to see the female half of the Gryffindor seventh-years taking seats a little further down the table.

"What's on the schedule for today?" Charlotte Reese, a small muggle-born girl who dyed her hair frequently and today had chosen purple, asked, taking the timetable Professor McGonagall handed without so much as a "thank you" to their Head. "Ugh. Potions. Then Herbology. What a brutal day."

"And a good morning to you, too, Miss Reese," Remus said cheerfully. "How was your summer?"

Charlotte flipped him off, and Chloe Forten grinned at the boys.

"Char doesn't turn seventeen until December," Chloe explained, "So she had to get a muggle job this summer."

"Where'd you work, Char?" Sirius asked, intrigued.

Charlotte glared at him before throwing her roll at his head.

"Temper, Miss Reese," James admonished. "As Head Boy, I don't think I can allow that kind of behaviour."

"Oh come off it, Char," Alice Thompson, a tall, thin girl with short black hair, snapped. "She worked at a restaurant, and hated every minute of it. She's still a little touchy about it."

"Oh, that's not so bad, Charlotte," Peter said kindly.

"Oh no?" Charlotte demanded. "So which of you boys had to work a muggle job this summer?"

"Charlotte…" Alice said warningly.

"Charlotte, if you don't keep it down, Malfoy _will_ hear about it, and then where will you be?"

"Maybe I don't care anymore," Charlotte muttered, but she shut up, moving her porridge around in her bowl without eating any of it.

"Why is Charlotte so worried about Malfoy finding out about her job?" Sirius whispered to Chloe.

Chloe gave him a look like he had three heads. "Honestly, Sirius, what part of _arch-enemies_ do you not get?"

"Who's arch-enemies?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Char and Malfoy are, of course."

"Really? I thought it was more a collective hatred, all of them against all of us."

"It is," Chloe replied, as though explaining to a toddler. "But surely even you can't have been completely blind to Char's relationship with Vesper Malfoy over the past seven years?"

Sirius wasn't blind; he'd just pointedly ignored the fights between the two. And the hexes. And the detentions served…

Thankfully, Chloe's attention was attracted away from Sirius, so he was saved from answering. Lily Evans had sat down on the other side of Charlotte, and James instantly sat up straighter.

"Morning, Evans," he said cheerily.

Lily made a noise in her throat and studied her timetable while the rest of their year-mates groaned.

"Don't start, Prongs," Remus begged. "Not yet."

"How about not _ever_?" Chloe muttered. "Lily's really not into you, Potter, just accept it and move on."

"This year," James countered, "She's going to realize that she really _does_ like me."

"You finally decided to stick a pin in your head, then?" Alice asked mockingly. "Deflate it a bit?"

James glared at her while their friends sniggered, and Sirius was shocked. Alice was usually very sweet and not at all inclined to say nasty things. That was the kind of thing he expected from Charlotte, not Alice.

"Miss Thompson," Remus said, shocked as well. "Mind your tongue!"

Alice rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her food.

* * *

><p>Potions passed without incident. Vesper, Kyler, Sara, Neil and Severus were the only five Slytherins in the NEWT level class, which posed something of a problem. All but Sara found a table near the back of the class, getting ready for whatever Slughorn could throw at them. Sara sat by herself. Vesper was very glad that Severus had this class with her, since he was the best potioneer she knew.<p>

Slughorn didn't actually have anything for them to _do_ for this first class; he just talked to them about their NEWTs, and Vesper was able to tune out most of it. She figured she'd probably get the same spiel from all her other teachers as well, so it wouldn't hurt her to miss this one.

"Cady?"

If anyone besides Sev or Neil ever called her anything other than Vesper she hexed them, or at least threatened to. It was to her advantage in these situations that her family features were so strong; people were used to taking her father and older brother seriously, and tended to take her seriously when she got in their faces. Severus had always called her Vesper Cadence, or Cady if he didn't want to spit out the whole mouthful and Neil called her Ves. She would tolerate no more nicknames, and not from anyone but her two best guy friends. Even Kyler and Sara couldn't get away with calling her by a nickname. Those who had grown up with her called her Vessie no matter how many times she told them not to, but she'd stopped responding to everyone but Bellatrix and Sirius when she was 12.

"What?"

Severus raised his eyebrows and looked around the classroom, which was quickly emptying. "Class is over."

Vesper jumped to her feet and hurried out of the room with Kyler and Severus. Neil had disappeared. Severus bade them farewell and headed to his arithmancy class, and Kyler, Sara and Vesper headed outside for herbology, which was much of the same. Professor Sprout, a new teacher this year, gave them the same lecture as Professor Slughorn (at least, Vesper assumed it was the same; she didn't actually listen to either one, so she wouldn't know). Kyler, thankfully, _did_ pay attention, and was able to tell Vesper what the homework was when they reached the common room for their spare period before lunch. Sara settled herself at the table beside Kyler and Vesper's, so they could still talk without making it look like they were interacting.

"A roll of parchment on the advantages of correctly chopped mandrake roots, as opposed to incorrectly chopped ones," Vesper repeated her friend's statement in shock. "Does he think we're first years?"

Kyler shrugged. "He said it's going to show up on our NEWT, so I suggest you study it. It's due Wednesday."

Vesper rolled her eyes. "What'd Sprout assign?"

"We're to read up on mimbulus mimbletonia for Wednesday's class."

Vesper groaned. "I'm going to hit someone."

* * *

><p>"Transfiguration right after lunch is <em>not<em> a fun prospect," Charlotte groaned, as the Gryffindor seventh-years all made their way to the class.

It was the only class all 8 of them had together. Unfortunately, only the high number of Slytherins in the course matched their large number. There had been more than one near incident the previous year, and Sirius, James, Charlotte, Chloe, Rabastan Lestrange, Lorin Travers and Vesper Malfoy had all served more than one detention from Professor McGonagall. All 16 students were tensed for another confrontation as they met in front of her classroom.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Slytherin herself," Sirius said snidely, as Vesper and Kyler arrived at the door, unusually alone.

Vesper's face turned to ice as she glared at him. "No need to be rude, Black," she said politely. "I know you're jealous _you_ weren't sorted into Slytherin, but even a magic hat can make mistakes." She gave him a sweet smile.

Sirius reached for his wand, as did James and Charlotte, but the door opened just then, and the others dragged them into the classroom. Sirius only had time to see Vesper's smirk, and note that the other Slytherins had arrived, before Chloe dumped him in his chair, facing the front.

"Ignore her," Chloe hissed. "She's not worth it."

As Remus and Alice unceremoniously dumped James and Charlotte on either side of him, Sirius couldn't help but thinking how wrong Chloe was. He made a general effort to ignore the tugging at his heart whenever he looked at Vesper Malfoy, but sometimes it just wouldn't do.

* * *

><p>Sitting at the back of the classroom with Kyler and Severus on either side of her, Vesper was feeling quite smug. She'd managed to rile up three of the five Gryffindors she most liked to harass (unfortunately Chloe and Remus had not pulled their wands), and thought it well worth the effort. Her fellow Slytherins agreed, and were still talking about it when Professor McGonagall called for order.<p>

"That will quite do, thank you," she said quietly from the front. The room fell immediately silent. "As I'm sure you're all aware, your NEWT exams will be happening at the end of this coming June…"

Vesper groaned and pulled out her herbology text.

"Not going to pay attention today?" Severus hissed in her ear.

"I've heard it twice already."

Severus gave her a small grin before returning his attention to Professor McGonagall, his quill poised. Vesper snorted.

The bell rang before she was done her assigned reading, and she hurried to put her text away before she was left behind.

"I'd like to see all the Gryffindors and Slytherins for a moment, please," Professor McGonagall called over the noise.

The two houses (4/5 of the class) made their way to the front and stood in two perfectly straight rows, separated by a small space down the middle. The Gryffindors stood on the right, girls in front, boys behind, with the Slytherins on the left split the same way. Professor McGonagall gave them all piercing looks.

"I do not want a repeat of last year, do you understand?" she snapped. "Anyone who does anything stupid in my class will be kicked out. No more detentions and point deductions. No second chances. I want order in my classroom, and if you cannot see past your superficial disagreements to complete this course, that is your problem, not mine. Do you understand?"

All 16 students nodded.

"Good. You are dismissed then."

* * *

><p>Sirius was in a foul mood. "She's got some nerve."<p>

"Hm."

"Where does she think she gets off saying crap like that?"

"Dunno."

"I mean honestly! There's a reason I'm not in Slytherin."

"Yup."

Sirius glared at James. "You're not being very helpful, you know."

James looked up from his potions homework. "I'm not actually sure what you're trying to do, Sirius. You know you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm your best mate, remember?"

Sirius stood and stalked out of the common room, scattering a group of first-years that were in front of the portrait hole. He stalked his way through the rest of the school, barely noticing when classes started again and the halls were empty. There were days he was glad to be an upper year student with free periods.

Unfortunately, there were other upper year students who also had free periods.

"-believe you said that to him!"

A pause. "Yeah, well, he was asking for it."

"Vesper Malfoy, I am shocked!"

Sirius rounded a corner and saw the two Slytherin girls walking toward him. All three stopped dead, and Sirius smirked.

"Does your family know you're still spending time with Wilkes, Malfoy?" he asked snidely.

Vesper's face paled more than usual in her anger. "What's it to you, Black?"

Sirius shrugged. "Only that if they don't, I've got some pretty nice blackmail material on you."

Luckily for both Vesper and Sirius, Sara stepped in, spun Vesper around, and frog-marched her back the way they'd come, shooting death glares at her cousin over her shoulder the whole time.

Sirius couldn't even feel gleeful about catching Vesper with Sara. He was still feeling slightly ill about what she'd said before Transfiguration. _"Even a magic hat can make a mistake"_. The Sorting Hat would not make a mistake as big as that, Sirius felt sure. Would it?


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The first month passed in a haze. Vesper sat through several more boring lectures about NEWTs, held Quidditch try-outs (she was Captain, and determined to beat Gryffindor this year), and handed in seven essays. She also earned herself three detentions; one from Slughorn, which she served with Sirius Black, James Potter, Charlotte Reese and Neil, one from Flitwick, which she served with Sara, Sirius and James, and one from Sprout, which she served with Charlotte. _That_ was an awkward evening, but she had to smile every time she thought about it. On Wednesday of the first week she had found out about Charlotte's summer job during breakfast. During herbology, she had decided to mention it, and Charlotte had thrown bubotuber pus at her. Vesper had easily ducked it, and it had landed on Peter Pettigrew, who had been standing behind her. Professor Sprout was absolutely furious with both of them, but neither was really very repentant. Vesper had mentioned Charlotte's restaurant job several times throughout the rest of the week, though never with such satisfying results.

The second Saturday afternoon found her with the rest of her team, out on the Quidditch pitch for their first official practise. Slytherin House had expected her to kick Sara off the team, now that she was considered a blood-traitor, but to their utter shock, Sara was returning as Keeper. Vesper thought it was stupid to kick a good player off the team because they had a falling-out with the rest of the world. Sara had been thrilled, and not a little surprised when Vesper had told her she would be keeping her.

"Vesper-"

"Don't argue with me, Wilkes," Vesper had said, cutting off her friend in the voice she reserved for those with whom she needed to keep her reputation. "You're the best bloody Keeper in this House, and I'll be damned if I'm going to kick you off because stupid people think it's a good political move. Quidditch isn't about politics; it's about skill. So stop arguing and get flying!"

Sara finally stopped trying to argue with her friend and flew up to the goals with a wide grin on her face.

The rest of the practise went by fairly uneventfully, unless you counted Bryson Rosier, Vesper's fifth-year cousin and one of the Beaters, slamming a bludger in Sara's general direction. Vesper laid into him pretty well, and then turned to the rest of the team to inform them that if they had a problem with Sara being on the team, they could leave. No one left the pitch, though they all shot their Captain strange looks; apparently none of them had ever seen her get angry before.

She hung back when the rest of the team headed up to the school. She sat in her office, staring at the blank wall. If there had been some way to be 100% sure that no one but her would ever come into this office, she would have posted a large picture on the wall directly across from the door.

"Why can't I?" she asked out loud.

She waved her wand once, and a large moving picture appeared on the opposite wall. She smirked at the seven figures in scarlet.

"This year, James Potter," she said quietly, "This year I will beat you at Quidditch. Just you wait."

* * *

><p>It was Saturday, and James didn't want to do anything but sit outside under the tree and stare at Lily Evans.<p>

"Seriously, Prongs, this is creepy," Remus said, acutely uncomfortable.

"You can leave," James snapped.

"What, and leave you all alone to stare at your lady-love?" Sirius mocked. "Then you'd yell at us later, after she came over and yelled at you for being a creeper."

James looked up from the notes he had brought out as a prop, in case Lily asked what he was doing, and glared first at Sirius and then at Remus.

"Look, if you don't want to be here, then go somewhere else. You could go do something useful and spy on the Slytherin Quidditch team for me, or you could go inside and sit in the dorm and pout. I don't care."

Sirius and Remus exchanged a look. As much as Sirius would have loved to go watch the Slytherin team practise, he knew Vesper well enough to know she would probably hex him into next week if he tried. So he sighed in irritation and flopped onto his back, closing his eyes and wishing for sleep.

"Hey, who wants to play exploding snap?"

Sirius cracked one eye, and reached over to smack Peter once, hard, on the head before closing his eye again and continuing to wish for sleep.

"Ow!" Peter exclaimed angrily. "What was that for?"

Sirius shrugged.

"Padfoot, please stop beating on Wormtail," Remus intoned boredly.

"Would you rather I beat on you?" Sirius asked.

"No," Remus replied firmly. "I would rather you not beat on anyone."

"Whatever."

* * *

><p>Vesper trudged back to the common room after practise, hurrying up to her room briefly to grab her toiletries bag before hurrying to the loo for a shower. Sara was already there, and after Vesper had locked the door, they chatted amicably about practise.<p>

"No offence, Vesper, but your cousin's a jackass."

"Who, Bryson?"

"Yeah."

"I know. He's a good Beater, though."

"You're sure he's Colby's brother?"

Vesper laughed. "100% sure."

"But she's such a sweetheart."

Vesper shrugged, then remembered Sara couldn't see her. "Yeah, but I'm Lucius' sister, remember?"

"Right," Sara scoffed. "I still think you're adopted."

"It doesn't matter if I'm adopted, we were raised the same."

"Yeah, but if you were adopted then you have different genes. So you make decisions differently," Sara pointed out.

"Sara, this theory might be a bit more plausible if I didn't look enough like Lucius to be his twin."

"Maybe you're _both_ adopted."

"Not likely. Remember that we both look identical to our father?"

"Oh. Right."

"I appreciate the effort, though."

"Yup."

* * *

><p>James, being James, had moved from the sunny lawn to the common room at almost the exact second that Lily, Chloe and Alice had, just before it got dark. They'd all skipped dinner. Sirius remembered wondering vaguely where Charlotte was, before remembering that she had earned herself detention from Professor Flitwick for a fight she'd started with Taylyn Morton in class on Friday. Luckily, Flitwick had been too occupied to notice that Sirius and James had been taking bets on the fight. Most people had won, because most people had been betting on Charlotte. Sirius and James had lost quite a bit of money.<p>

Remus, being Remus, had taken it in stride and positioned himself at a small table in the common room to work on his homework. Peter was whining, and Sirius, being Sirius, was bored.

"I'm bored," he announced.

James shrugged, not looking up from his Arithmancy notes. "Amuse yourself."

Glaring at James' head, remembering all the times before the "Lily Epidemic" that he had announced he was bored and James had immediately jumped to do something with him, Sirius stalked out of the common room. He seemed to be doing a lot of that recently…

He walked into someone very small just outside the portrait hole, and was about to tell the younger student to watch where the bloody hell it was going when it started talking.

"Bloody hell, Black, can't you watch where you're going?" Charlotte demanded. "I'm not in a good mood to begin with, and then you have to go and walk right into me."

"Well, if you weren't so damn small, I would've been able to see you and we wouldn't have a problem."

"Charlotte! There you are!"

Sirius and Charlotte glared at each other as Chloe approached.

"Char! Have you been in detention all this time?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I hexed Morton in the middle of it. Flitwick extended mine."

Sirius snorted. "You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Charlotte, Lily's looking for you," Chloe said quickly, averting a disaster. "Sirius, you should probably get back inside the common room, too. Lily's on a rampage tonight. Apparently she wasn't very impressed with James staring at her all afternoon."

"It's not even curfew!"

Chloe looked at her watch, then showed it to him. "Yes, it is."

Sirius swore colourfully before turning around, giving the Fat Lady the password, and crawling through the portrait hole before the girls. He went right up to his dormitory without saying anything to his mates.

* * *

><p>The first week of October was hell for all the seventh-years. Their teachers had started reviewing everything they'd ever learned, on top of teaching them new things that they would need to know for their NEWTs. Vesper had a perpetual headache, and Sirius was not helping things.<p>

Vesper found herself in the middle of a sick and twisted grouping. Lily Evans spent all her time in the library, which meant that both Sev and James Potter also spent all their time in the library. Which meant that James' entourage was usually there, and Vesper was usually there because she needed Sev's help with her Potions homework. Sirius, who never actually did homework, spent most of his time harassing Vesper and Sev as quietly as possible. Vesper had taken to using him to practise her non-verbal spells on, but he had caught on and started shielding himself.

On Thursday night, Vesper was in the library long past anyone else. Lily had long since relocated to the common room, and Sev had left shortly after her when he was done his essay, despite Vesper's protests. James, Remus and Peter had left at the same time as Lily, but Sirius had disappeared into the stacks about an hour before everyone else had left, and James couldn't be bothered to look for him.

"He knows where the common room is," he'd stated as they left. "He's probably snogging some girl in a back corner somewhere."

This statement had affected Vesper more than she let on. She wasn't with Sirius anymore and he was at perfect liberty to snog whomever he wished. She had said that at the beginning of their fourth year to Kyler and Sara and she was sticking with her statement. But that didn't mean the green monster in her chest agreed. Just because her family no longer considered Sirius suitable company for their very eligible daughter did not mean she had to agree with them.

She was engrossed in her Potions research when a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her wits. She whipped her wand out and spun around, finding herself face-to-face with a startled-looking Sirius. Her wand was at his throat and his hands were in the air.

"Merlin and Salazar, Black," she snapped. "What the hell do you want?"

"I just wanted to let you know the library was closing," he said innocently. "Could you lower this thing?"

Vesper glared at him but removed her wand from his neck. "Sod off, Black."

"_That's_ not very nice," Sirius said, affronted.

"Sirius," she said quietly. "Leave me alone. I mean it. I don't know what I can say to get it through your thick skull. Leave. Me. Alone!"

Sirius stared at her. "Are you okay, Vessie?" he asked, looking truly concerned.

"Don't call me that," she snarled, pointing her wand at him again. "I mean it, Black. Leave me the hell alone."

She scooped her books under her arm and left the library, leaving him staring at her retreating back.

* * *

><p>Sirius watched Vesper leave the library feeling more than a little disappointed. He knew, of course, that Vesper was defying her family by spending time with Sara Wilkes, and he was more than a little hurt that she wasn't willing to take the same risk with him. Admittedly, Sara had only left home this last summer, and Vesper had not been nearly as willing to defy her family when they were fourteen. He sighed as he remembered the day his friendship with Vesper had ended, that fateful June day at the end of third year...<p>

_Vesper was sitting on the train platform alone. Sirius assumed she was waiting for her family. She was apparently getting a head start on her assigned summer readings when his shadow fell across her book._

"_Now, what's a pretty girl like yourself doing sitting all alone on a day like today?" Sirius drawled._

_Vesper looked up and shielded her eyes from the harsh sun as she smiled at her friend. "Lucius is coming to get me. He got held up at work. I got his owl on the train."_

"_My own parents are running a bit behind," Sirius commented, taking a seat beside her. "What say we wait alone together?"_

"_I'd like that," Vesper admitted._

"_What are you reading?" he asked._

_Vesper held up the book to show him the cover. _

"The Reproductive Cycles of Mandrakes._ Sounds absolutely riveting."_

"_Oh it is," Vesper replied with a laugh. "You'll really get into it."_

_They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Sirius broke it again. "Can I ask you a question?"_

"_Sure."_

"_If you had to name your child after a star, what would you name it?"_

_Vesper shot him a confused look. "That's an odd question."_

_Sirius shrugged. "It's an old Black family tradition, you know."_

"_I'm well aware of your family's odd tradition, Sirius, but I'm not a Black."_

"_Ah, but you were supposed to be," Sirius countered. "Are you telling me that in the almost 13 years that we've been practically betrothed you never once thought about this dilemma?"_

_Vesper's cheeks warmed as she looked down._

"_Are you actually _blushing_?" Sirius asked, genuinely shocked. "Now I am truly intrigued. Does this mean you _have_ thought about it?"_

_Vesper knew denying the fact was useless. "I always liked Lyra for a girl. Or Mira."_

_Sirius nodded slowly. "Both very good choices. I'm very glad to hear you're not one of the hardcore ones who like to choose the oddest names possible. What about for a boy?"_

_Vesper shook her head. "I was just planning to pray that we never had a boy."_

_Sirius laughed._

"_And what about you?" she asked, still unable to look at him. "What names have you thought of?"_

"_I always liked Cassiopeia for a girl."_

"_Really?" Vesper asked, looking up at him in shock._

_Sirius shrugged. "At least it gives her a normal nickname. We could just call her Cassie."_

"_Very true," Vesper agreed. "And for a boy?"_

"_We were never going to have a boy," he replied, winking. _

_Vesper looked away and a grin broke out on her face when she saw her brother walking toward them. _

"_Lucius!"_

_Sirius stood with Vesper as her brother approached. Her grin faded slightly when she saw the dark look on his face. _

"_Malfoy," Sirius said politely, nodding his head in deference to Lucius._

"_Vesper, come," Lucius snapped. "Where are your things?"_

"_Lucius, Sirius said hello to you," Vesper said quietly. _

"_I heard him," Lucius said. "I asked where your things were."_

"_Aren't you going to say hello to him?" Vesper insisted. "It's rude to ignore him."_

"_You would like me to speak to Black, Vesper, is that what you're telling me?"_

"_Yes?" Vesper said, slightly unsure about the anger in her brother's voice._

"_Very well, if it will make you happy," Lucius conceded. He turned to Sirius and his voice was icy when he spoke again. "Mr Black, if I ever see you within 15 meters of my sister again, or if I ever hear tell that you were speaking to her, I will personally hunt you down and hex you. Stay away from her. Do you understand what I am saying?"_

_Sirius' face was unreadable as he stared at Lucius. "I understand," he said icily. "My apologies."_

_He turned on his heel and walked away, out of Vesper's life for what he knew was the last time. _

"_Lucius..." he heard her say quietly_

"_Point me in the direction of your luggage, Vesper, we are already late and Mother and Father will not be pleased if we are any more so."_

* * *

><p>Vesper was in the library alone after dinner the following Wednesday night, slaving over yet another essay for Professor Slughorn. She really tried hard in potions class, but somehow it all went over her head unless Sev re-explained everything to her after. Unfortunately Sev was in detention with Potter and Evans tonight for trying to hex Potter in the middle of Charms. She sighed and decided she needed more material, and made her way to the back for another book.<p>

"Well, well. Miss Malfoy. What an…unpleasant…surprise."

Vesper stiffened and turned, a sneer on her face. "Black. My sentiments exactly."

They glared at each other for a moment, before they both realized that they were completely alone. Vesper quickly looked at the floor, turned back to the shelf, and continued going through the titles as electricity crackled through the air between them. She refused to acknowledge him further, even to tell him to go away. She didn't think she would be able to get the words past her suddenly dry throat. She felt, rather than saw, Sirius move beside her until he was standing in front of her. He lifted her head until she was looking into his eyes, then quickly closed the distance between their lips.

Vesper was disoriented when he pulled away, just as quickly as he had kissed her. She looked at him with wide eyes, and he grinned and winked at her before turning and walking away.

"Vesper!"

Vesper started when Lorin called her name, and hurried to compose her face before turning to him.

"Lorin."

She didn't hear anything Lorin said to her; she was too busy worrying about what had just happened between her and Sirius, and what could have happened if Lorin had walked over a minute earlier.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** R&R please! It's greatly appreciated :)


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Sirius walked back to Gryffindor Tower on Cloud Nine, not really thinking about anything. His head was too full of Vesper, and he barely even registered when Remus started talking to him.

"PADFOOT!"

Sirius looked up, startled, into the confused, worried and angry faces of his three best friends.

"No need to shout," he mumbled.

"Remus has asked you four times to move your chair. His bag's strap is caught under the leg."

Sirius obligingly moved his chair. Remus smiled at him, but James was not so forgiving.

"What the hell is going on, Padfoot?" James demanded. "You've been distracted all week, and you don't really seem to be yourself."

Sirius bristled. "I have not been distracted all week."

"Yes, you have."

_All week_…that would mean he'd been acting distracted since Vesper had told him, in no uncertain terms, to leave her alone. Oh. Well, maybe he had been a little distracted...

"Sorry. I'll try to do better."

"Why don't you just tell us what's going on?" James suggested.

Sirius shook his head. "No."

Remus gave him a searching look. "Does this have to do with Vesper Malfoy?" he asked intuitively.

Sirius raised an eyebrow and turned his head slowly to look at his friend. "What on earth brought that on?" he asked.

Remus shrugged. "I forgot my Herbology book in the library last Thursday. I saw you two talking."

"What were you talking about?" James demanded.

"None of your damn business," Sirius snapped, furious. Remus had sold him out. He would pay for that.

"Sirius," Remus said quietly. "We're your best mates."

"Not after that comment you're not," Sirius snarled in reply.

"Moony only told because he's worried about you," James snapped. "We all are. You can't be with her. Her family won't allow it. Remember?"

"I remember," Sirius snapped. "And I see you're still chasing Evans, despite her repeated retorts that she won't go out with you."

"That was low, Black," James snapped.

"No, it's true," Sirius replied. "You can't get over her, even though you can't have her. Do you _know_ how many women I've dated, trying to get over Vesper?"

"A hundred?" Peter offered up helpfully.

"That's probably a close guess, Wormtail," Sirius agreed. "I don't expect you to understand why I love her, any more than I understand what you see in Lily. But I at least expected _you_, of all people, to understand that it's not easy to move on!" he spun on his heel and left the dormitory, crawling through the portrait hole when he'd made his way through the common room.

After such an unexpected turn for the better in his relationship with Vesper earlier (at least he hoped it was a turn for the better), Sirius had not expected to be in such a foul mood again so quickly. He sighed and made his way to his favourite window seat on the seventh floor as he tried, yet again, to forget about the girl he loved.

* * *

><p>Vesper sat in her dorm room, still reeling from her meeting with Sirius in the library.<p>

"Vesper?"

She started at the sound of Kyler's voice.

"Kyler. Hi."

Kyler fixed her with a worried look. "You look distracted."

Vesper shook her head. "Nope."

Kyler raised an eyebrow. "Vesper, I know you better than that. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Vesper!"

"I don't want to talk about it, Kyler."

"That's better. Can you at least give me a hint?"

Vesper sighed. "Kyler. Stop. I don't want to talk about it."

Kyler shrugged. "Fine. I'm going back downstairs then."

"Fine."

After Kyler left, Vesper grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote a quick note to Sirius, hiding it under her pillow for delivery in the morning before putting on her pyjamas and getting into bed.

* * *

><p>At breakfast on Thursday, Sirius was didn't pay any attention to the post until a small barn owl landed in his cereal.<p>

"Who's it from, Padfoot?" Remus asked curiously.

"I dunno," he replied, frowning and slitting the envelope.

_Dear Mr Black,_

_ You cannot go around kissing people whenever you feel like it. Others could make life difficult for both you and the girl if you do. Please be careful._

_VC_

"Who's VC?" Chloe asked, reading over his shoulder.

"I have no idea," Sirius lied, folding the letter and putting it in his pocket.

"Liar," Chloe hissed.

"It's rude to read other people's mail," Sirius countered.

"Who'd you kiss?" Chloe pressed.

"Sod off, Chloe," Sirius muttered, irritated.

"Sirius kissing someone is hardly breaking news, Chlo," Char said, sitting down across the table from Sirius.

"But usually they don't send him letters telling him not to do it again," Chloe countered.

"Which I never really understood," Char replied. "I probably wouldn't do it in a letter, but if Sirius ever kissed me he wouldn't do it again."

"Like I would ever want to kiss you," Sirius snapped.

Char shrugged. "Good."

Remus mercifully changed the subject to talk about the potions essay they had due that day, but Chloe kept staring at Sirius, looking like she was trying hard to figure out his secret.

* * *

><p>Vesper tried to forget about what had happened in the library with Sirius, but it was impossible. She knew she could not allow her housemates to find out, so she treated all the Gryffindors with more contempt than usual over the next week. She channelled her pent up frustration into insults and snide remarks against her year-mates. Kyler noticed.<p>

"Vesper, what the hell is going on?" she hissed as they sat down in Potions after Vesper had made a particularly scathing remark to Charlotte, causing a disruption which earned them both detention.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kyler," Vesper replied.

Kyler glared at her. "You're telling me that you are not frustrated about anything in particular?"

"Nope. Why would I be frustrated?"

"That's what I'm wondering," Kyler replied, giving her friend a piercing glare.

"You're looking for problems where there aren't any, Kyler," Vesper said haughtily. "I think Professor Slughorn would like to begin the lesson."

Kyler dropped it for the moment, but Vesper knew her friend was not done with this line of questioning.

* * *

><p>"So."<p>

Sirius looked up from his breakfast, perplexed. "So."

"VC."

Sirius choked on his toast. "_What_?"

"VC," Chloe repeated. "I have some guesses."

"I told you to drop that," Sirius hissed. "I meant it."

Chloe looked taken aback by his fury. "Come on, Sirius, it's all in fun."

"No, it's not," he retorted, standing. "Drop it, Chloe. I'm not joking. Let. It. Go."

Chloe watched his retreating back in shock.

* * *

><p>"Ves, what the hell is going on with you and Black?"<p>

Vesper looked up from her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay to gape at Neil. "What?" she breathed.

"You know what I'm talking about," Neil snapped, sitting down across from her in the nearly empty Great Hall. "You've been worse than usual to him. What happened?"

Vesper refused to look at him. "Have you been talking to Kyler?"

"Among others. What happened?"

"Nothing!"

"Did he kiss you?"

Vesper's head snapped up.

"Asshole. I'll kill him."

"Don't bother," Vesper drawled.

"What happened?"

"Lorin appeared less than five seconds after he kissed me. What if he'd seen?"

"What if he had? Why is that so terrible?"

Vesper gaped at him. "Are you _kidding_ me? Lorin and Rabastan-"

"-are cowards who wouldn't lift a finger if they saw you snogging Black. Not everyone worships Lucius the way you do, Ves," he snapped. "I notice the only complaint you seem to have is that you could have been seen, not the actual kiss."

Vesper glared at him for a moment before going back to her essay. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

"Because you know I'm right," Neil said, smirking and standing. "When are you going to stop lying to yourself, Ves?"

"Never," Vesper said firmly. "Sod off, Hayden."

Neil chuckled under his breath but left his friend in peace.

* * *

><p>Things between Sirius and Chloe had been strained, to say the least, since she had tried to guess who VC was. Chloe was avoiding him, giving him space to cool down (according to Remus), and Sirius was still fuming. He wanted Vesper. He wanted to be with her, more than he had ever wanted anything before. But he also didn't want to cause any trouble for her. He didn't want her getting hurt because of what he did. He knew what they said about secrets, and he couldn't take any chances. He knew from experience that his mates could keep secrets, but he couldn't take chances with anyone else.<p>

A week after his spat with Chloe, a handsome tawny owl landed in Sirius' cereal bowl, causing him to jump back in surprise, milk spraying the front of his robes.

"Bloody hell!" he cried as he jumped back. "What the...?"

"Who's it from?" James asked, leaning across the table.

"How bout you let me open it so I can find out?" Sirius asked. James glared at him.

Sirius untied the letter and unrolled the parchment, curious.

_Black,_

_Don't give up. She likes you. Be careful._

"Who's it from?" James demanded again.

"No idea," Sirius replied, pulling out his wand. "_Incendio_."

The parchment burst into flames and Sirius let it burn for a moment before dropping it in his cereal bowl. He had no idea who had sent the note, but it gave him hope. He was grinning like a maniac as he made his way to the dungeons for Potions with the rest of his housemates.

* * *

><p>"Do me a solid, Potter."<p>

James looked up in surprise at Charlotte's voice. "What?"

"Kick Malfoy's ass at Quidditch next weekend."

James grinned widely. "My pleasure."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Hi, all, sorry this is so short and terrible. It will likely be edited in the future, but for now it's here. R&R please :)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hey all, so sorry for the delay! But here you go :) Hope you enjoy! And please review when you're done reading, I love that people have my story on alert but it would be nice to get some solid feedback :)

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 4<p>

The first Hogsmeade weekend was Hallowe'en weekend, as it always was. Vesper and Kyler headed up to breakfast early to get an early start to their visit. Sara was stuck in detention with Flitwick all day with James Potter, for which Vesper was silently grateful. She hadn't been looking forward to figuring out the logistics of spending time with Sara while hiding it from her housemates.

"Anyone up for Zonko's today?" Sirius was calling loudly down the Gryffindor table as Vesper and Kyler passed.

"Oh yes," Vesper said, sneering at him. "Heaven forbid you should have to come up with an _original_ prank."

Kyler smirked as James, Sirius, Charlotte and Chloe glared at them as they passed. Charlotte and James both had their hands in their robes.

"As a prefect, I have to advise against pulling out those wands," Vesper warned quietly. "It would be truly terrible if you weren't able to go to Hogsmeade because you were in detention...or worse, if your Captain were out of commission for the Quidditch match next weekend."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Malfoy?" Charlotte demanded, losing her cool. "Considering the only way you could possibly beat us is if James is out."

Vesper gave Charlotte a condescending smile. "We'll see about that, Reese," she said calmly. "No takers on the detentions? That's what I thought."

She and Kyler made their way to the Slytherin table, smirking, and Neil raised an eyebrow at them as they sat.

"What was that all about?" he asked, looking worried.

"Oh, you know," Kyler replied, "The usual. Harassing Gryffindors. Vesper using her powers for evil. That sort of thing."

"Did you threaten them with detention again?" Neil asked, fixing Vesper with a stern glare.

Vesper shrugged. "Maybe."

"You're not supposed to do that! Also, Potter is bloody Head Boy!"

"They were all reaching for their wands, what was I supposed to do?" she demanded. "They would've hexed us otherwise. And Potter always forgets that he's Head Boy. What a moron."

Neil shook his head. "You're hopeless," he muttered.

"_I'm_ hopeless?" she demanded. "What about Remus Lupin? Two years he's been a prefect and not once has he managed to stop those hooligans he calls friends from doing something stupid. Not once."

Neil shrugged. "Maybe he's got better things to do with his time."

* * *

><p>"<em>Seriously<em>, Potter!" Charlotte burst out. "You're freaking _Head Boy_! Why didn't you stop her?"

James looked up from his toast, understanding dawning on his face. "Oh _yeah_!" he said. "I keep forgetting about that!"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"It's too late now," Char snapped. "She's moved on. Only a complete and total idiot forgets that he's Head Boy."

"Hey!" James snapped defensively. "I'll put you in detention for that if you're not careful."

Char rolled her eyes as Chloe and Alice stood.

"Well, we're gonna head down to Hogsmeade. Anyone else interested?"

The rest of their year-mates (minus James, who did actually have detention) stood and joined them.

"Maybe if you're good I'll bring you a sweet," Char said, smiling sweetly.

"Fuck off, Charlotte."

"No sweets for you."

* * *

><p>Vesper, Kyler and Neil made their way down High Street, laughing and looking in the store windows.<p>

"Oh, I need a new quill," Kyler said as the passed the shop. "My best one broke in half yesterday."

"How'd you manage that?" Neil asked incredulously as they entered.

Kyler shrugged. "I have no idea. I suspect my sister."

"She's a wimp," Vesper countered. "I suspect Kieran. I bet Taylyn put her up to it."

"Kieran would do something like that," Kyler agreed, looking around at the different quills. "Oooo this one's nice."

Vesper raised an eyebrow. "A peacock feather? You're going to use that to take notes in class?"

"I guess not," Kyler acceded. "What about an eagle feather?"

"Much better," Neil agreed. "Anything else?"

Vesper shook her head and Kyler went up to pay for her quill before returning to them.

"Okay, where to next?" Neil asked.

"I need to go to the apothecary," Vesper replied. "I need some Potions ingredients."

"Oh, me too," Kyler agreed.

"Off to the apothecary then," Neil agreed, grinning at the girls.

* * *

><p>Sirius, Remus and Peter were walking up High Street and came across a group of Slytherins in the road. Sirius smirked until he realized what was going on.<p>

"I said leave us alone, Rabastan," Vesper said in a dangerous voice. "I mean it. Get lost."

"And if I don't?"

"The lady said leave them alone, Lestrange," Sirius said, stepping forward, flanked by Remus and Peter.

Rabastan Lestrange turned to him with a smirk. "Well, well, well. What do you want, Black?"

Sirius glared at him. "The lady said get lost," he replied. "I don't like guys who mistreat girls."

"Girls in general or just this one in particular?" Lestrange demanded.

Sirius' lip curled. "Like I have any reason to help _Malfoy_," he spat. "Guys who pick on girls are cowards."

"You calling me a coward?" Lestrange hissed, furious.

"I guess I am," Sirius agreed.

Lestrange stepped toward him, flanked by Travers and Mulciber. Sirius, Remus and Peter stared them down, though Peter was shaking.

"Enough," Vesper snapped. "Rabastan, get lost. And I don't need help from _Gryffindors_," she added, glaring at Sirius and his friends. Sirius, however, saw the terror in her eyes, and backed down. He knew anger was how she dealt with fear.

"I'll leave when he does," Lestrange snapped.

"What's going on here?"

Both groups turned as Neil Hayden and Snape entered the fray from the robe store.

"Nothing," Lestrange snapped, turning to leave. "We were just leaving."

"That's what I thought," Hayden snarled. "Ves? You okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "He's was just being annoying."

"You sure?"

"I'm _fine_, Neil."

"Good." Once he'd realized his friend was okay, he turned to the three Gryffindors. "What are you three doing here?"

Sirius shrugged. "We saw Lestrange picking on Vessie and came to investigate."

"My name is _Vesper_," Vesper hissed, glaring at him and raising her wand.

"Lestrange is gone now, and I suggest you do the same," Hayden said firmly. "Move along."

Sirius glared at him, but did as he'd said. Truth be told, Sirius was more than a little afraid of Neil Hayden, and not just because of his fierce protectiveness of Vesper. Hayden was an exceptional wizard and Sirius knew exactly who would win in that fight.

As the three friends walked away, Sirius could feel Remus' eyes boring holes in his back.

"You okay, Padfoot?" he asked quietly.

"Fine. I need to go to the Quidditch Supply shop."

* * *

><p>"What the hell was that?" Neil asked, turning to Vesper and Kyler after the Gryffindors had disappeared. "I leave you alone for two seconds!"<p>

Vesper shook her head. "It's not important."

Neil put his hands on her shoulders, turned her around, and marched her in the direction of the Three Broomsticks. Sev and Kyler followed.

Neil turfed three third-year Hufflepuffs out of their seats to get a table in a back corner for their group. Sev went up to the counter to order drinks for them all.

"Start talking," Neil said firmly.

Vesper sighed in irritation. "It's really not a big deal, Neil," she said calmly. "Lestrange wanted us to go to Honeydukes and we told him to sod off."

"That's it?" Neil asked, incredulous, as Sev showed up with four Butterbeers.

"I told you it wasn't a big deal. He was a bit insistent and that's when Black and co showed up and turned it into a big deal."

"Sorry, what happened?" Sev asked.

"Nothing," Vesper sighed. "Rabastan wanted Kyler and I to go to Honeydukes with him. We told him to sod off, he didn't, Black showed up and picked a fight. You showed up. The end. And we don't need another rant about Black and co from you, Sev, thank you very much."

"I wasn't going to," Sev said haughtily.

"Oh please," Neil snapped. "You had that look on your face. You were about to launch into a full-scale rant about the Gryffindors."

Sev glared at Neil, but Vesper put her hand on his arm and he drank his Butterbeer instead of replying.

* * *

><p>"Are you still going to try and convince us there's nothing with you and Vesper, Sirius? Remus asked conversationally as they walked back to the school.<p>

"There isn't," Sirius replied. "I just don't like guys who pick on girls."

"Yeah, you mentioned that," Remus replied. "So that's it?"

"Yes, that's it," Sirius snapped. "Drop it, Moony!"

"Dropping," Remus replied, but he gave Sirius a look that made Sirius think this was not the last his friend was going to say on the matter.

* * *

><p>At the feast that night Rabastan kept shooting Vesper quizzical looks, like he was trying to figure something out, and it was freaking her out.<p>

"Neil."

"I know. I'll deal with it. Don't worry about it."

Vesper nodded. "Okay."

"Eat."

Knowing that Neil was going to take care of things made Vesper feel much better, and she found that she really was hungry, and attacked her food with gusto.

* * *

><p>The Marauders were leaving the feast when a voice caught their attention.<p>

"Black."

They all turned to see Hayden leaning nonchalantly against the wall behind the staircase.

"What do you want, Hayden?" James demanded.

"I wasn't talking to you, Potter," he said snidely. "I need a word with Black. Privately."

"Not bloody likely," James snapped.

"It's alright, Prongs," Sirius said quietly. "What do you want, Hayden?"

"Walk with me."

"I'll meet you guys upstairs," he said as he followed Hayden out the front doors onto the grounds. "It's a bit chilly for a nighttime stroll, Hayden."

"I won't keep you long," Hayden sneered. "What the hell was that about today?"

"What?"

"Standing up to Lestrange. You realize he's going to make Vesper's life hell now, right?"

Sirius shrugged. "I did it with Higgs and Morton last week. Just tell Lestrange I'm just a guy looking out for the fairer sex, no matter what colour they're wearing."

"This was _not_ what I had in mind when I told you to keep trying with Vesper," Neil hissed, moving so his nose was less than an inch from Sirius'. "If you hurt her, I _will_ end you."

"_You_ sent me that owl?"

"Not the point," Hayden snapped. "Did you hear me? I will have no qualms whatsoever about ending you if you break her heart."

"Bit of a crush there, Hayden?"

Hayden's upper lip curled. "Vesper is like my sister."

"Well, I guess you're a better brother than the one she's got," Sirius conceded.

"I don't like you, Black-"

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual."

"-but for some reason Ves loves you. You make her happy. The moment that changes, you're a dead man. Got it?"

"Loud and clear," Sirius snapped. "Trust me, Hayden. I have no plans to break her heart."

* * *

><p>Vesper waited in the common room for Neil until well past midnight. Rabastan had returned hours earlier and Vesper had no idea where Neil could be. He finally climbed through the portrait hole and she shot him a questioning look. He nodded once and made his way up the stairs to his dorm.<p>

"Neil!"

"Ves, I have to take care of something, okay? I promise we'll talk tomorrow. Don't worry about anything, I've got it all under control," he said, though he did come over to kiss her forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

Strangely, Neil's words did little to calm Vesper's nerves.

* * *

><p>Sirius didn't go back to the dorm until he was sure most of his friends would be asleep. James, of course, was awake.<p>

"Padfoot."

"Prongs."

"Let's walk."

They exited through the portrait hole, Sirius following his best friend reluctantly. He didn't really want to talk about what he'd discussed with Hayden.

"So, what'd you and Hayden talk about?" James asked conversationally as he sent a group of Hufflepuffs back to their common room.

"Nothing important," Sirius replied, sticking his hands in his pants pockets and leaning against the wall.

James raised his eyebrows. Sirius shrugged. "I told Lestrange to leave Vesper alone. Kinda made a big thing out of it. He was not impressed."

James stared at his best friend for a moment as though he had never seen him before.

"The woman told him to leave her alone. He didn't. I stepped in."

"Who says chivalry's dead?" James asked sarcastically.

"That's all it is," Sirius said. "I did the same thing last week with Morton and Higgs. Not a big deal. I don't like guys who pick on women. It doesn't matter what colour they're wearing."

James locked eyes with Sirius. "Look me in the eye and tell me it's nothing more," he challenged.

Sirius glared at him. "Even if it is, it doesn't matter. She's not interested. She made that _very_ clear."

"When?"

Sirius shrugged. "She told me to leave her the fuck alone. Then I kissed her, and she told me _again_ to leave her alone."

"Vesper Malfoy told you to leave her the fuck alone?" James asked, looking skeptical.

"Well, okay, maybe not in those words," Sirius conceded. "But that was her general message."

"And then you kissed her?"

"Yes."

"Ah," James said, a light going on in his brain. "VC."

"Very good, Prongs."

James nodded. "You need sleep, mate. And you need to get over this woman."

"If only it were that simple," Sirius muttered.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Hey all, here's chapter 5! Sorry for the long delay, exams and writer's block are both to blame. Hopefully there won't be as long a delay on the next one, but I'm not making any promises! Sorry. Please remember to read and review at the end of the chapter! Thanks guys!

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 5<p>

The day of the first Quidditch match of the season dawned bright and clear, something for which Vesper was very thankful. Slytherin would, of course, be playing Gryffindor, and Vesper wanted perfect conditions. She had managed to book the pitch to practise the night before, and it had gone splendidly. Her team really knew how to play together. Thankfully the only position she'd had to fill this year was that of Seeker, and Donovan Higgs was stellar. Her only reservation was that he was sometimes more concerned with putting down the other team (or his own team, if he was talking about Sara) than he was with finding and catching the snitch.

Vesper had been up since dawn, and at 9 00 she met the rest of her team in the common room and they headed up to breakfast together, smirking in their green and silver robes. They were booed loudly as they entered the Great Hall, but kept their heads high and their sneers in place.

"Ready to be crushed today, Malfoy?" Garrett Long, one of the Gryffindor Beaters, called as the team made their way to their table.

"You wish," Vesper said quietly.

She and Potter glared at each other as their eyes met, and Vesper grinned at him in a dangerous way.

As she sat at the Slytherin table, her team surrounded her.

"They are so going down," Cailean Yaxley, one of Vesper's fellow Chasers, sneered.

"No question," Braeden Nott, a Beater, agreed.

"Watch yourselves today," Vesper said quietly, darkly. "Keep your heads in the game. Don't worry about what Gryffindor is doing unless it directly affects you. Donovan, if Potter catches the snitch because you were hazing his players, you're off the team. Got it?"

Higgs glared at her but nodded.

"Good. Now eat. You have ten minutes and then we're leaving."

Exactly ten minutes later Vesper hustled her team from the table and down to the pitch. She saw a slightly panicked look on Potter's face and he began hurrying his team, apparently now eager to get down to the pitch. Vesper smirked. Anything that put Potter on edge worked well for her.

* * *

><p>Sirius loved Quidditch. He didn't have the concentration or skill to play himself, but he took his cheering duties very seriously and never missed a match, school or otherwise. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but Vesper had put James on edge when she and her team left the Hall and now he needed to calm James down.<p>

"Where's she going?" James demanded.

"Who cares?" Sirius asked lazily. "Prongs, calm down. Eat. Malfoy's _trying_ to put you on edge. You're playing right into her hands by acting this way."

"Yeah, well," James retorted. "She's making me nervous. I don't like this."

"Calm down."

"Everyone, eat faster," James snapped suddenly. His team stared at him. "If Slytherin beat us today because they got down to the pitch sooner and had time to practise, I will not be impressed."

"How about if they beat us because we puke our breakfasts up because we ate too quickly?" Emily-Hope Jeffries snapped.

"Gross," Steph Waters said, wrinkling her nose.

"Calm down, Potter," Long said. "We'll be fine. If Slytherin need last minute practise it's because they don't think they're good enough to beat us."

"Good point," James replied thoughtfully.

"Great, so can we all get back to eating our breakfast in peace then?" Steph asked.

"Yeah," James replied, grinning. He turned to Sirius. "We're gonna win today, aren't we?"

Sirius shrugged. "I've always believed in you."

James' grin widened and he attacked his toast with new enthusiasm.

* * *

><p>Her team were talking amicably amongst themselves when Vesper emerged from her office fifteen minutes before the game started. When they'd arrived at the pitch she'd taken her team for a few warmup laps and she was now ready for her pep talk. Sara joined the rest of the team, coming to the benches from the corner where she'd been sitting apart. Vesper's face was unreadable.<p>

"Alright, you lot," she said quietly. "I meant what I said at breakfast. I don't want any distractions today. I want you all focused on the game. One foul, you deal with me. Wilkes and Higgs, watch your mouths. I don't want Madam Elsen to have any reason to favour Gryffindor today. I mean it."

Her team nodded solemnly.

Vesper looked at the clock on the wall. Ten minutes til game time. She could hear the rumblings from the stands and her heart rate began to pick up. This time right before the game was always the best and worst time.

She called Yaxley and Mel Avery over to her, and they began going over last minute tactics. Vesper smiled to herself. Her fellow Chasers were the best she could've asked for. She was confident in her team's ability to win today.

With five minutes to game time Vesper stood, and her team followed her onto the pitch. The noise reached nearly unbearable levels when they entered. The cheers from the Slytherin end were drowned out in the hisses and boos from the Gryffindor supporters, but Vesper didn't care. Her team ignored the noise and made their way confidently to the middle of the pitch, where Vesper and Potter came face-to-face, glaring at each other.

"I want a clean game, do you hear?" Madam Elsen called. "Captains, shake hands."

Vesper and Potter shook hands, but let go very quickly.

"Alright, teams, mount your brooms."

The game was fast-paced from the start. Vesper caught the Quaffle out of Elsen's hands and raced away down the pitch with it toward the Gryffindor end. She dodged their Keeper, Allan Johnston, and scored the first goal of the game. The Slytherin end exploded and with a smirk Vesper turned her broom around got right back in the game.

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><p>Quidditch was always fast-paced when Gryffindor was playing Slytherin, but today Sirius was having particular difficulty keeping his eye on the Quaffle. Vesper and her fellow Chasers were superb, and the Gryffindor Chasers were also of the highest caliber. The Quaffle changed hands so many times and so expertly that no one could follow. Even the commentator was having difficulty. Gryffindor was good, but Slytherin was better and the power of the first goal could not be ignored. Before long Slytherin led the game 100-40.<p>

The Slytherin Beaters were ruthless. The Gryffindor players were barely able to evade the bludgers hit by Rosier and Nott, and Long and Manning, the Gryffindor Beaters, were lacking in the anger and ruthlessness that the Slytherins had. Though their hits were well aimed, they were rarely hard enough to reach their target. Slytherin's lead grew larger until they were leading by nearly 200 points, and it only got worse for the Gryffindors after that.

The Gryffindor fans watched in horror as one of Rosier's bludgers streaked toward Larry McCabe, one of Gryffindor's Chasers, who didn't see it in his focus on the goalpost. It connected with a sickening crunch, and McCabe fell from his broom to the ground hundreds of feet below. The Gryffindor supporters gasped and shouted in rage.

"This is a nightmare," Remus groaned.

"We're not gonna lose," Peter said confidently. "Prongs won't let that happen."

"He might not have a choice," Sirius replied, wincing as Vesper scored yet another goal and the Slytherin end erupted. "If the snitch appears he has to catch it. And we just lost a Chaser."

"He could stall," Peter countered.

Sirius shook his head. "Higgs is good. And Malfoy is scary. He won't want to make her angry, especially considering he's attempting to date her best friend. He won't fall for anything Prongs tries to throw his way to distract him."

"So what you're saying is-"

"Yeah. We're screwed."

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><p>And they were. The Slytherin team was on fire, and James' arrogance proved to be the Gryffindors' downfall. Potter caught the snitch, but it wasn't enough. Vesper, Mel and Cailean had never played better, and the Gryffindors were down a Chaser. Five hours after start time, the final score was 290-240 for Slytherin.<p>

Vespers team landed on the pitch, looking elated, and headed to their changing room.

"Nicely done, everyone!" Vesper called, ecstatic. "There will likely be a party in the common room after dinner, so shower and get cleaned up and we'll all celebrate tonight! Good job, again!"

Vesper headed to her office, thrilled. Yes, it was only one win, but it was an impressive one. The scarlet-clad players on her wall glared down at her and her grin widened. She had never been so proud of her team. And even though Higgs hadn't caught the snitch, he had made an impressive effort and hadn't hazed the Gryffindors any more than anyone else. Vesper's legs hurt more than a little, after flying for five hours, but she ignored the pain. It was more than worth it.

Vesper left the change room after it had already been abandoned, and found an escort waiting outside for her.

"Impressive flying, Ves," Neil said, grinning widely as he joined her stride on her left side. Sev took her right and Kyler hurried to catch up with them.

"Thank you," she said, grinning. "It was a pretty good game, wasn't it?"

"It was."

The four walked in silence for a few moments, for which Vesper was grateful. She was pleased, though surprised, to see that Sev had waited with Kyler and Neil. He'd never really gotten on with her other friends.

"What did you think, Sev?" she asked him.

Sev looked surprised at being addressed, but recovered quickly and shrugged. "I'm glad we won. Potter would've been insufferable if we'd lost."

"Yes, he would've," Vesper agreed, grinning again. "And now we get to be insufferable."

"Vesper Malfoy, you wouldn't know how to be insufferable if you took a course," Kyler teased.

"That's all you know," Vesper replied teasingly.

* * *

><p>The Gryffindor team entered the common room in low spirits, and James' best mates knew better than to try talking to him when he was in this kind of mood.<p>

"It was a good game," Remus said quietly as the team trudged past them and huddled around the fire. "They just got cocky."

"Malfoy's gotta be a tough Captain," Peter agreed, shivering in fear. "I wouldn't want to disappoint her."

Sirius silently agreed. Malfoy didn't really have any friends on the team, and she didn't care about hurting people's feelings. She cared about winning, and she knew how to do that. James was more concerned than she was making sure people weren't hurt. And Sirius wasn't about to be the one to tell him to be more heartless. James was a good guy, and he wanted people to like him. Which, unfortunately, wasn't always conducive to being a Quidditch Captain.

"I think Prongs needs to care less about whether his team members like him, and more about whether they're winning," Peter said.

Sirius and Remus stared at him.

"You feel free to tell him that, Wormtail," Sirius said, indicating that Peter should go over to where James was sitting. "We'll sit here and watch. And possibly sell tickets."

Peter looked terrified at the prospect. "I-I-I..."

"Don't _actually_," Remus sighed. "I have a feeling James will ask our opinions. Do _not_ tell him that that's what you think."

"I might, though," Sirius added thoughtfully.

"Don't," Remus pleaded. "The last thing we need is a pissy, controlling Prongs."

"But his pissiness and controlling tendencies won't be toward us," Sirius pointed out happily. "It's the poor saps on his team that'll have to deal with him."

"Right," Remus agreed. "And do you really think the females on that team won't tell us _exactly_ what they think of our brilliant idea?"

"We don't need to tell them it was our idea."

"We'll tell them," Charlotte said, flopping down on the couch beside Sirius as Chloe sat in the empty armchair between Remus and Peter. "We heard that whole thing. If Chloe won't tell, I will."

"You're all heart, Char," Remus said darkly.

Charlotte grinned at him. "So. _Abysmal_ game today, eh? Malfoy's gonna be insufferable after that."

"You're not helping, Charlotte dear," Sirius said snidely.

Charlotte shrugged, sending her blue hair flying over her shoulder. "I don't really care if I hurt your mate's feelings, Black. If he knew what was good for him he'd step up and stop being such a wuss and tell his team to GET BETTER!"

"FUCK OFF!" James shouted back as the rest of his team glared at Charlotte.

Charlotte grinned. "See? That got his attention. Now I think I'm heading to bed."

Chloe, the Marauders and the Quidditch team stared after her.

"Drama queen," Chloe muttered.

Sirius silently agreed, but knew that Charlotte had a point. If Gryffindor wanted to win the Quidditch Cup this year, they were gonna have to step up their game. And Charlotte's words may just have been the thing James needed to stimulate him to do that. He did not envy the Quidditch players in the next little while. James was gonna be working them pretty hard.


End file.
